Silence & Wisdom

The actual musical content of the two albums by is largely ignored, due to the strange circumstances of their conception and release: and created the personas of two tragic French women, even appearing in gauzily-photographed drag on the album covers. The tongue in cheek deception so fascinates reviewers that the actual contents of the albums go all but unnoticed. This is a shame, because ' 1982 debut is a lovely album with much to recommend it. in the tradition of then-current artists like (whose this album strongly resembles in its use of found sound and recordings), blends watery piano, occasionally ghostly vocals, sheets of synthesizers, heavily processed guitars, and only the barest minimum of percussion into an excellent example of post- , pre- music. Much more structured than 's early experiments in the style, these 15 brief pieces are surprisingly varied, from oddly rhythmic exercises to tranquil piano meditations. The few vocals, mostly by , are almost swallowed up by the music, not only to hide their essential non-female qualities, but also as a stylistic choice that fits the mysterious, hard-to-grasp nature of the album. is highly recommended, not just to fans, but to anyone fond of this style of . ~ Stewart Mason